A magnificent vocal powerhouse, plucky guitar arrangements and world music rhythms. It’s big, honest and serenely meditative. Darling Cora’s first full-length release Heart Strung Out is an indie-folk record with guts. I dare you not to get chills. Think Grace Slick, Joni Mitchell’s Ladies of the Canyon, and even the free-form rhythms of improvised beat poetry, all set to jazz/blues orchestral foundation. Get in the loop!!!
Episode 39: Michael Coughlan
Michael Coughlan’s full-length release The Sixth Avenue Verses is a straight up country folk record centered on life in small-town western Canada’s badlands. While it never strays too far from the canon of country tunes- think twangy slide guitars and lonesome traveler motifs- there are unique interludes of spoken word poetry and sampled preaching over a dusty soundscape. Certainly a rarity in today’s indie music landscape, so get in the loop!
Episode 38: Kraig Durco
Kraig Durco’s self-produced EP Guilty Pleasures is a feat of electro-pop with some real weight to it. Infectious melodies, light-hearted millenial aesthetic and groovy rhythms make this a perfect handful of party tracks. Known to AFL fans as the drummer for Electric Waves, Durco takes his solo work in a new direction while keeping the surf-rock motif alive. And for a one-man-band, the tunes feel extremely realized. It’s sheer fun, so get in the loop!
Episode 37: Gillian Nicola
Gillian Nicola’s first release No Place To Call is as captivating as it is solitudal. The unique lilt of her alt-country vocals alone brings to life the stories of bitter heartache and, with Oh Marie, the bizarre reality of watching an idol fall. The band creates ambient, wintery soundscapes formed through a classic pop/rock template, while breaking the mould enough to excite even a tough critic. Fans of Ingrid Michaelson, Sheryl Crow and Emmylou Harris will appreciate the candidness and expert use of the pedal steel guitar. Check Gillian out Nov 3rd at The Cameron House for our AFL Femme Fatale Showcase!
Showcase Spotlight: Social Potion
Carmen Toth has been a beast in the Toronto music scene, working and posting every day about her various adventures and shows. Social Potion indeed. In a sea of artists hungry for time to play music in between having to Instagram their side hobbies to show their audience how well-rounded they are, Carmen has managed an engaging social media presence that remains authentic. Luckily, the music that drives her is catchy, unique, and ever-evolving.
Her work reflects her self: candid, fearless and open-hearted. Upon our first meeting, we talked at length about everything from divorce to horoscopes and she read my palm, quite accurately in fact. Carmen’s first release was a burst of energy that drew from and celebrated my personal favourite decade for women in rock, the 90’s. Will her upcoming release echo those sentiments? Produced by Derek Downham and engineered by Tim Foy, Carmen describes it as danceable, full band versions of her often acoustic tunes. Downham assures fans that this is “not a throwback. This is now, moving forward.” Sounds like my fascination with 90’s alt rock is about to be blown wide open.
Our conversation on Social Potion’s first EP can be found here.
Check her out at our showcase November 3rd at The Cameron House. $7 at the door.
Episode 36: Lisa Marie Kruchak
Unique breathy vocals paired with a rhythmic guitar technique makes Lisa Marie Kruchak‘s brand of swishy, heavy folk something to behold. Her full length release Miles of Prairie is as personal as it is accessible, especially evocative when it blends sliding bass with meditative melodies, and perfectly paradoxical criss-crossing harmonies. Check her out live Nov 3 at the Cameron House for our Femme Fatale Showcase night!
Femme Fatale Showcase: *New Lineup!* Win a Pair of Tickets and Swag!
Hey loopers! Our second showcase night is coming up November 3rd, and we have a special giveaway going down. Write a review of our show on any platform you listen to us (iTunes, Stitcher, Facebook) and we will choose a winner at random to receive TWO tickets and TWO AFL T-shirts for you and a guest!
Rules:
Submit a written review of A Feedback Loop on iTunes, Stitcher, Facebook, etc and share/tag it wherever folks do that stuff.
Deadline for submission is Oct 28th. Good luck!!!
Any questions? @afeedbackloop on instagram and facebook.com/feedbacklooppodcast will have the droids you’re looking for.
Episode 35: PUP
One of Dylan’s personal faves, we tackled PUP’s second full release, The Dream is Over. These Toronto-based punk rockers are reinvigorating the genre, making a fan out of Jesse, and managing to pull themes of depression, death, angst and acceptance into a solid and varied record. With as many complex narratives as there are straightforward loud-fun-angry tracks, it’s a safe bet to say their dream is only beginning.
Episode 34: The Brandy Alexanders
Jess is back to talk Windsor-based psychedelic rock-pop from The Brandy Alexanders. It’s steeped in the likes of Pink Floyd and middle-era Beatles, but with enough rhythmic interest and layered instrumentation to make their mark on the genre. Check them out here and stay tuned till the end of the episode for details on our next showcase night November 3rd at The Cameron House!
Episode 33: PKEW PKEW PKEW
With Jess on vacation, Dylan and his mum Loretta want you to get your skateboarding gear, drink a few beers, find your friends, and hop into the world of PKEW PKEW PKEW and their anti-social party punk rock. There’s a lot more going on than you might think on a first listen, and the live show is to die for. So much to cover! So get in the loop!